A shipping container is normally a parallipipedal unit formed by a frame that is clad with steel walls with an openable part or door at one of its ends. Shipping containers are normally of the following dimensions viz 6.1 m or 12.2 m in length, 2440 mm in width and 2590 mm in height. There are similarly dimensioned shipping containers which are an additional 310 mm in height (called herein “high containers”). The shipping container has connector castings at its corners whereby it may be secured to adjacently stacked containers and also for lifting and other handling purposes.
Shipping containers are usually transported by ship, by flat bed rail cars and trucks. At their ultimate destination the shipping containers are unloaded for unloading, possible reloading and also for possible short term storage purposes.
This invention is concerned with container loading and off-loading devices.
Many different systems have been designed and used for loading containers on and off trailers. Most of the known systems require cranes or gantries or sophisticated hydraulic lifting devices such as grapples.
A problem that has been experienced is that often it is necessary to load or off-load containers from trucks in remote areas where cranes, gantries or the like are not available.